I'm thinking about trading in my old tired 90 legacy wagon on a new Forester. Does the forester still have the clutch, wheel bearing and piston slap problems I've been hearing about for past couple years?
My second choice is a 94 Suzuki Vitara.
Tony
My 2003 X was a great car that did not exhibit any of these problems. I recently bought a 2004 XT and would not hesitate recommending one over any other SUV.
Thanx for the feedback. I'm up for a job as a field service rep for a computer company and if I get it, they pay a mileage fee. I figure I'll be driving enough for them to pay at least have my car payment plus gas. Anyway replacing my 90 Legacy wagon all hinges on that.
Tony
I'll second that recommendation on the '04 2.5 XT. I'm at about 2,400 miles now on mine, 2 1/2 months. Absolutely perfect (no problems whatever) and wonderful car. Try not to keep the turbo spinning too much; your gasoline bill will go up.
HW
Thanx but if I do get a new Forester, I'm going to skip the turbo. The 2.2 in my Legacy is powerful enough so I don't really need any more and tubos always beak when you're broke.
Tony
I went with the turbo because both our cars ('01 Volvo S60 2.4T, w/ turbo, and the replaced vehicle, a '99 Honda Accord w/ V-6) had about 200 HP. So we have been accustomed to that much power. I've gotten, on trips, over 30 MPG on both those cars, so economy wasn't an issue. So far, at 42K miles, the Volvo has had no turbo problems (and precious few others--it's Honda-like). So, "downsizing" to 165 HP didn't seem appealing. I'd tested the non-turbo Volvo before deciding on the turbo, and it seemed sluggish. Further, on So. Calif. freeways (well, actually, on and off freeways, with all our traffic), there've been several times I've been very glad to have the extra punch when I needed it.
Only downside is now both my cars need premium fuel, though if you do the math the cost for that isn't really much more expensive than regular.
HW
When I purchased my 03 Forester, in order to get it in all silver you had to take the package which included moonroof, climate control, and self dimming mirror. And now these are the three things I dislike the most. The moonroof takes head space, especially when cranking up the seat to it highest position, which I prefer. The climate control is poor. Hard to regulate. The self dimming mirror is a pain. I keep reaching to adjust, and can't, to my liking. Other than that it's a great car.
The self-dimming mirror in my '04 Forester XT seems to work better than the one in my '01 Volvo S60 2.4T.
HW
Interesting post! When I bought my o4 xS, I also had to take the package which included moonroof and self-dimming mirror, as well as the de-fogger for outside mirrors and windshield wipers. (the climate control was standard on the XS, so it was not a factor in the decision to buy the premium package.)
I figured I'd hate the moonroof and the self-dimming mirror but, to my great surprise, I love the mirror! It really works, plus I like the compass display built-in. The darned moonroof has been no problem since I never use it anyway. The grandkids love it. (outside mirrors, who needs de-fogging?) Other than those non-problems, great car, so far! Love the handling, it really is fun to drive!
Thanx for the feedback. I won't know for another week if I'm going to get the field service job that will require me to get a new car. If all goes well, the Forester is at the top of the short list. I need to test drive one. I'm 6'5" and I have trouble squeezing into most small cars. I was surprised that I fit as well as I do in my Legacy.
I'm not going to have the problems you're describing. If I can swing it at all, I'll be getting the base model. The only option that interests me at all are heated mirrors and I'm not even sure they're offered. My old Peugeot had them and they were always clear even on the nastiest days.
In the mean time I've put my Legacy up for sale and I'm crossing my fingers that I get the job.
The self-dimming mirror (with compass) is wonderful. I hate the climate control for the same reason I drive a manual shift... I like direct control instead of fighting the decisions of an idiot climate computer. As for a moonroof, which I've had in our last three cars... they are noisy, windy, and not all that useful unless you are a fresh-air addict deaf to wind noise. Otherwise, we are very happy with our '03 XS Premium Forester
Why? I also, as relevant, sing the praises of Subaru over at alt.autos.volvo and on volvospy. Subie is praiseworthy in some areas, Volvo in others. I love both cars.
Good thing you're thinking of the base model. You'd have headroom problems with the sunroof.
I tend to drive Italian style, Leaned back with my arms stretched out and hanging on to the bottom of the wheel. It's not nearly as awkward as it sounds.
My Legacy has less headroom than the Forester and it's OK but not great. I'm looking forward to the increased headroom of the Forester and I don't really care about a moon roof anyway.
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